20. Black Creek
As you walk down North Ave you will come to some pretty weeping willows with a crossing over part of what now remains of Black Creek.
The history of Black Creek is intimately tied with the history of Cessnock. It was the existence of this creek, and the fresh water it provided, that made the spot perfect for the teamsters that travelled through the area. When the coal mining boom period started at the turn of the 20th Century, the easy availablility of water from this creek gave the mining operation a huge boost.
During the depression, the creek was concreted on both sides. This labor was done by men who were given a number of days worked according to how many mouths they had to feed. A man with a wife and seven children worked 5 days per week and earned a small stipend for working these days. This stipend was, for many, the only income available to them and as such was a very precious thing.
The concreting of Black Creek